This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Neades, B. L Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Neades, B. L Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Presumed Consent to Organ Donation in Three European Countries

Napier University/NHS Lothian, Comely Bank Campus, Edinburgh EH4 2LD, Scotland, UK, b.neades{at}napier.ac.uk

United Kingdom Transplant reported that, during 2007—2008, a total of 7655 people were awaiting a transplant; however, only 3235 organs were available via the current `opt in' approach. To address this shortfall, new UK legislation sought to increase the number of organs available for donation. The Chief Medical Officer for England and Wales supports the adoption of `presumed consent' legislation, that is, an `opt out' approach, as used in much of Europe. Little research, however, has explored the impact on bereaved relatives, nurses and medical staff of introducing presumed consent legislation. Adopting a phenomenological approach, this study used responses to an initial questionnaire combined with selected interviews with health care professionals to capture their direct experience of presumed consent legislation in three European countries: Portugal, Norway and Belgium.

Key Words: ethics • Europe • organ donation • presumed consent legislation

Nursing Ethics, Vol. 16, No. 3, 267-282 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0969733009102687


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?